News Round-up: Rowell, Bradford, Leighton, P&G

INTERVIEW: Former Y&R star Victoria Rowell
Rowell was a guest on "BuzzWorthy Radio" on Monday night.

On the Devon-Tyra sex story twist: "I introduced that foster care story line to THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. At that time it was Jack Smith. I wrote a synopsis and presented it and the show put it on the tube that summer. That character of Devon caught fire, it was extraordinary. And, of course, Bryton McClure won the Emmy later on. That story about foster care, which addresses over 513,000 foster children in our nation today, received Congressional recognition. And the predominate population in foster care are black and brown children. Adn you mean to tell me that they had that young man slept with his step-mother? That's kind of sneaky. That's kind of unredeemable. What's that about? Shame on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS for taking a Congressionally recognized story line, and NAACP Image Award winning story line and sabotaging it like that. We can do better. Prove that you can, Maria Bell. Prove that you can."

MTV to set U.S. version of SKINS in Baltimore
Created by father and son team, Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain, the E4 and Channel 4 series is about a group of British teenagers who are trying to grow up and find love and happiness. Brian Elsley will be writing and executive producing the U.S. version.

In an effort to maintain the original production's successful model wherein all the stories were written by a group of British teenagers, MTV will similarly join together unknown teenagers to write and star in the series. The producers intend to set the show in Baltimore, Maryland.

Bradford Anderson USA Today Guest blogger: Why I love the Daytime Emmys (and it’s not because I’m nominated)
"I'm proud to be a part of the daytime community. It's a group of hard-working people that does its best every day to put out a quality product. We have the responsibility of producing an hourlong show for every day we work -- a whole show in a day! Prime-time TV shows take upwards of two weeks for a single episode. In that time we will have shot 10 episodes."

Branded Entertainment: Where it came from and where it is going
The soap opera was probably the first instance of branded entertainment in media. Of course, its delivery has changed with the times. Nowadays, the format is interactive giving it unlimited capacity. Apart from television appearances, advertisers and brands can now reach consumers through a one-on-one experience with online properties. With more media platforms developing, branded entertainment has incredible potential.

A Procter & Gamble Bio - $2.3 billion in revenue in the year ended in June
Procter & Gamble Co. is a Fortune 500, American Multinational Corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, that manufactures a wide range of consumer goods. As of 2008, P&G is the 8th largest corporation in the world by market capitalization and 14th largest U.S. Company by profit. It is 10th in Fortune's Most Admired Companies list (as of 2007). P&G is credited with many business innovations including brand management and the soap opera.

According to the Nielsen Company, in 2007 P&G spent more on U.S. advertising than any other company; the $2.62 billion spent by P&G is almost twice as much as that spent by General Motors, the next company on the Nielsen list. P&G was named 2008 Advertiser of the Year by Cannes International Advertising Festival.

Laura Leighton (Sydney) on the new MELROSE PLACE
"It's reflection of the times...It's much more modern," she says. "A lot of changes in the last 10 years; technology has changed, and it's all incorporated in the new show. The characters are texting, and it's a big part of their lives. The look of the show is a lot edgier. There is an envelope that is pushed. Josie [Bissett, Jane Mancini on the original] and I were joking about it. We were so naive and sort of goofy. We were just sort of along for the ride on our experience, and we look at these kids now and they look terrific. They know how to walk down the red carpet...They just know so much more."

Biz watches, waits as SAG taps leaders
With the industry still struggling through an economic hangover, Hollywood execs and talent alike soon should get a strong sense of the mood and direction of the rank and file. Ballots go out to SAG members on Tuesday to elect a new president, additional officers and several board members by the end of September. WGA West and East ballots follow Wednesday, as writers fill like positions on a similar timeline.

INTERVIEW: Soap vet Kathleen Noone
Noone was a guest on "Robert Reid Live" on Monday.